Refrigerated containerized cargo transport system and container therefor



. Dec. 26, 1967 w s m ET AL 3,359,752

I REFRIGERATED CONTAINERIZED CARGO TRANSPORT SYSTEM AND CONTAINER THEREFOR Filed Sept. 3, 1965 '7 Sheets-Sheet 1 I INVENTORS LESTER L. WESTLING BY ALFRED B. SABIN w /dm ATTORNEYS Dec. 26, 1967 L. WESTLING ET 3,359,752

REFRIGERATED CONTAINERIZED CARGO TRANSPORT SYSTEM AND CONTAINER THEREFOR 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 5, 1965 INVENTORS LESTER L. WESTLING ALFRED B. SABIN ATTORNEYS Dec. 26, 1967 1.. L. WESTLING ET AL 3,359,752

REFRIGERATED CONTAINERIZED CARGO TRANSPORT SYSTEM AND CONTAINER THEREFOR 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 5, 1965 F/G. a

ATTORNEYS Dec. 26, 1967 Filed Sept. 5,

L. L. WESTLING ET AL REFRIGERATED CONTAINERI ZED CARGO TRANSPORT SYSTEM AND CONTAINER THEREFOR '7 Sheets-Sheet L INVENTORS LESTER L. WESTLING ALFRED B. SABIN ATTORNEYS Dec. 26, 1967 L, WESTLING ET AL 3,359,752

REFRIGERATED CONTAINERIZED CARGO TRANSPORT SYSTEM AND CONTAINER THEREFOR Filed Sept. 3, 1965 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 J INVEIVIITORS LESTER L, WESTLING N N Q BY ALFRED B. SABIN V Y Y F/G. /2 V w W ATTORNEYS Dec. 26, 1967 WESTLING ET AL 3,359,752

REFRIGERATED CONTAINBRIZED CARGO TRANSPORT 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 SYSTEM AND CONTAINER THEREFOR Filed Sept. 5, 1965 54% Vim ATTORNEYS Dec. 26, 1967 L. L, WESTLING ET AL 3,359,752 REFRIGERATED CONTAINERIZED CARGO TRANSPORT SYSTEM AND CONTAINER THEREFOR Filed Sept. 3, 1965 7. Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTORS LESTER L. WESTLING ALFRED B. SABIN ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,359,752 REFRIGERATED CONTAINERIZED CARGO TRANSPORT SYSTEM AND CONTAINER THEREFOR Lester I... Westling, 37 Hillwood Place, and Alfred B.

Sabin, 826 Walavista Ave., both of Oakland, Calif.

Filed Sept. 3, 1965, Ser. No. 484,802 9 Claims. (Cl. 62-239) This invention relates generally to refrigerated containerized cargo transport systems and containers therefor, and more particularly to such a system in which the cargo containers may be transported in succession by ship and rail car or highway truck, and hereinafter referred to as an intermodal transport system.

Existing intermodal refrigerated cargo transport systems use insulated containers, each with an attached air conditioning unit which remains integral with the con tainer from shipper to consignee.

The system proposed by the present invention provides that the air conditioning units (including ships refrigeration plant) are separate from the containers and are adapted to be selectively and successively coupled to the containers when the containers are moved from ship to rail car or to truck (or vice versa), such vehicles being referred to as the carrier.

The system further provides that for short land haul, when applied refrigeration is not required, the air ports are closed and only the container moves with the carrier.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a system in which the container travels through the cold chain from shipper to consignee while the air conditioning units remain with the carrier, eliminating divided responsibility between the owners of the various modes of transportation for the maintenance of the air conditioning machinery.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a refrigeration system of the foregoing character in which the container tare weight may be reduced and cargo volumes increased by eliminating the attached air conditioning unit.

It is a further object of the present invention to increase usable cargo space within a container and to conserve space aboard ship by elimination of the attached air conditioning unit.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a refrigeration transport system in which the containers are readily adaptable for carriage of dry cargo in alternate or return services.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a refrigeration system which improves product environment for erishables, providing longer product life, less weight loss and improved delivery condition.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a transport refrigeration system having improved economics.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a containerized cargo transport system which is simple in application and of wide flexibility for transfer to the several modes of the carriage.

-It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved cargo container for such systems or any part thereof.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention will become more clearly apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Referring to the drawings:

FIGURE 1 shows a highway vehicle provided with integral refrigerating machinery carrying a cargo container;

FIGURE 2 is a side view, in section, of a typical container;

'FIGURE 3 is a view taken along the line 3-3 of the container shown in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a top view, partly in section, of typical refrigeration machinery shown in FIGURE 1 and taken generally along the line 4-4 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 shows a railway car including integral refrigeration machinery carrying a pair of containers;

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view of the machinery compartment showing the arrangement of the machinery taken along the line 8-8 of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 9 is a sectional view taken along the line 9-9 of FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 10 is a sectional view taken along the line 10-10 of FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 11 is a schematic view showing the midsection of a ship including resident refrigeration and air conditioning components;

FIGURE 12 is a plan view of a portion of the midsection of the ship shown in FIGURE 11;

FIGURE 13 is a view taken generally along the line 13-13 of FIGURE 12;

FIGURE 14 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 14-14 of FIGURE 13;

FIGURE 15 is a sectional view of a ship with containers in place and booster fan located within the container; and

FIGURE 16 is a side view in section of another embodiment of the container.

Referring now more particularly to FIGURE 1, there is shown a highway vehicle or truck 11 which carries an air conditioning unit 12. The truck also carries a cargo container 13 removably coupled to the unit 12. The truck bed 14 which receives the air conditioning unit 12 and cargo container 13 may be a skeleton chassis adapted to support the container and air conditioning unit, or it may be a flat bed suitable for transporting general commodities. In either event, the construction of the truck body is simplified and merely serves to support the machinery unit and the container and, therefore, provides for a low tare weight container. The refrigeration machinery 12 may be integral with the truck or removable depending on the owners requirements. In any event, the cargo container is removably coupled to the air conditioning unit, permitting the container to be removed either separately or coupled to the refrigeration machinery.

Referring more particularly to FIGURES 2 and 3, the container may comprise an outer shell 16 provided with inside insulation 17 of, for example, poured-in-place urethane foam. An inner lining 18 protects or shields the insulation from damage. Means are provided within the container for introducing conditioned air into a discharge region at one end of the container and for recovering the air at the other end of the container from a region near the top of the container. Thus, the conditioned air makes a single pass over the commodities. The containers described in FIGURES 2 and 3 and that described in FIGURE 16 provide for such single pass air flow.

The container'may have an extruded aluminum floor 19 forming enclosed longitudinal air channels 21. At the nose end a false bulkhead 22 extends upwardly and is spaced from the container wall 23 to define therewith a channel 24 communicating between air inlet opening 26 and the longitudinal channels 21 whereby air travelling through the inlet opening flows downwardly towards the floor of the container and longitudinally along the floor in longitudinal channels 21. In this embodiment, a major portion of the air is discharged into a region or space formed by door fenders 27 at the other end of the channels. The air fiows back in single pass through the cargo spaces towards the outlet opening 28 as indicated by the arrows 29. The walls are provided with corrugations, fiues or battens 31 which define channels, permitting air to travel upward along the walls from the marginal fioor channels. Thus, the cargo is enveloped by the air travelling along the floor and returning from the rear and sides to the outlet 28 located at the upper region of the other end of the container.

This enveloping ensures interception of heat from the outside before it can reach the cargo. It also permits rapid heat removal during initial cooling of the cargo. The inlet and outlet openings 26, 28, may be formed in a removable panel 32. Inflatable gaskets 33 and 34 are carried by air conditioning unit or ship plenum and surround the openings 26, 28, respectively. The gaskets are inflated as shown in FIGURE 1 to provide and confine communication between the inlet and outlet openings and the associated air conditioning unit. When deflated, the gaskets assume a retracted position.

A typical refrigeration machinery compartment for a highway vehicle is shown in FIGURES 4, and 6. It includes a refrigeration compressor 36 mounted preferably on the floor of the compartment, a condenser 37 with one or more fans 38, and an evaporator 39. Bafiiles and partitions are arranged to direct the air which enters through the container outlet opening 28 of the air conditioning apparatus, past the evaporator 39, upward and then to fan 41 and through the container inlet opening 26. Fan 41 forces the air into and through the container and cargo as previously described. The engine driven electric generator 4%) is an auxiliary source of power.

Referring to FIGURE 7, there is schematically illustrated a co-related refrigerated cargo system for railway applications. Thus, a railway car 42 is adapted to receive a pair of containers 43 and 44. Disposed between the containers is the air conditioning unit 46 to which the containers are removably coupled. The air conditioning unit 46 may be removably mounted on the car so that it can be removed to be serviced or repaired in a shop, or may be removed in off-season and the car used for other purposes.

FIGURES 8, 9 and schematically illustrate a typical arrangement of the components within the air conditioning unit 46. Referring to FIGURE 8, the refrigeration machinery includes compressors and condensers 47 and 48, one for each of the containers. A generator 49 provides electrical power for driving the compressors and fans. A fuel tank 50 is also carried in the compartment.

The partitions and baflles 55 for directing air from the outlets 51 over the evaporators 52 and into the inlets 53 are shown in FIGURE 10. The arrows 54 show the flow of air between the outlet and inlet. A fan 56 is arranged to circulate the air over the evaporator and through the refrigerated cargo container.

FIGURES 1114 show the system as applied to a ship. The ships structure is shown schematically at 61 where there is illustrated a typical hold 62 which is adapted to receive a plurality of containers 63 of the type described. The containers are adapted to be removably coupled to insulated plenums 64 which communicate with the refrigeration apparatus 65. Within the plenums 64 are disposed cold air ducts 66, while the remainder of the space within the plenum carries the return air. If preferred,

plenums may be arranged vertically instead of horizontally.

As shown in FIGURE 11, there are several zones or systems each with its own separate refrigeration apparatus 65. Each zone is enclosed within insulated partitions permitting a different temperature or atmosphere for each zone if desired.

Should the weather be such that the cargo requires heat instead of cold, the supply air in duct 66 may be heated by using heat instead of cold in the apparatus 65 or the recirculating air system.

Under normal conditions this arrangement should provide ample flexibility. However, should it be necessary to carry, say 34 chill cargo in a 0 freezer zone, this can be accomplished.

FIGURES 13 and 14 show the arrangement within ships plenum 64. Communicating with the cold air ducts 66 are a plurality of feeder ducts 67, each provided with a damper 68. The feeder ducts communicate with fans 69 which direct the air into the inlet opening 71 in the panel of an associated container. Motor 72 drives the fan. In cold weather, a heater 73 may be used within the feeder duct to heat container recirculated air when necessary or desirable.

A hydraulic cylinder 74 provides means for controlling the damper to control the amount of cold air leaving the cold air duct and entering the fan.

The warmer air leaving the container through outlet 75 is directed through exhaust manifolds 76 which are provided with dampers 77. The air leaving the apparatus then travels along the plenum 64; to the refrigeration .apparatus where it passes through the air cooler of the ships refrigeration machinery, is cooled and returned through the cold air duct 66.

The refrigerated containerized cargo transport system of the ship employs a resident refrigeration or heat absorbing apparatus which is integral with it. Thus, each mode of transportation includes its own air conditioning apparatus.

An alternate ship arrangement, FIGURE 15, shows the booster fan 81 located within the container which may be advantageous in certain operations. The remainder of the apparatus is similar to that described with reference to FIGURES 11-14 and, therefore, will only be briefly described. The arrangement includes an air cooler or refrigeration apparatus 82 connected to supply air to a supply plenum 83 from which it is applied to the container and forced through the container by the booster fan 81. The air leaves the container, travels along the return plenum 84 and back to the air cooler as shown by the arrow 86. Inflatable gaskets 87 and 88 may be carried by the ship and arranged so that they provide the requisite seal between the containers and the supply and return plenums.

An alternate form of a single pass container is shown in FIGURE 16. The container includes an outer shell 91 provided with inside insulation 92 of, for example, pouredin-place urethane foam. An inner lining 93 protects or shields the insulation from damage. The container includes a suitable floor 94, for example, comprising corrugated metal sheets. At the nose end a perforated false bulkhead 96 is provided to define a region for the discharge of conditioned air. A false ceiling 97 defines a 1ongitudinal flue or plenum 98 for return air. The inlet to the plenum is located at the opposite end of the container near the top to ensure single pass air movement through the cargo. Thus, the flow of air is through the inlet opening 101, through the perforated false bulkhead 96, as shown generally by the arrows 102, through and under the cargo, and upwardly into the inlet end 163 of the plenum 98, along the plenum and out through the outlet opening 104. Suction is provided at the outlet end of the plenum whereby to draw the air through the container. As in FIGURE 15, the booster fan may be within the container.

In operation, the containers are loaded with pre-cooled or frozen product at the supply stations. The containers may be moved to or from the rail car or ship without refrigeration where only moderate intervals of time elapse. Containers which are loaded at distant stations or held over and transported to the ships by railway or highway transport may be provided with vehicle-mounted air conditioning apparatus to maintain the prescribed conditions within the containers until they are loaded into the ship.

At the ship, the containers are lowered into the hold of the ship within structural guides to the proper position. When in position, with container ports opposite ship ports, the plenum ports .are opened and the gaskets inflated, to provide communication between the interior of the container and the ships refrigeration plant which then maintains the temperature of the containers.

Thus, it is seen, that only the containers need to pass through the cold chain. In most cases, no applied refrigeration is required between shipper and ship or from ship to consignee. In cases where applied refrigeration is needed, the apparatus remains in the possession of the carrier. At sea, the containers are protected below deck where refrigeration is furnished by dependable, eflicient and ample ships machinery. This arrangement permits the control of air temperatures, design humidities, and modified atmospheres equal to best shoreside warehouse practice and at reasonable cost.

We claim:

1. In a marine vessel, an air refrigerating plant, an air supply duct fed from said plant and an .air return duct supplying air to said plant, a plurality of container-coupling stations arranged .at spaced intervals along said ducts, each station embodying an air supply port communicating with the supply duct, an air return port communicating with the return :duct and container support means, the two ports in each station being in the same positions relative to the support means of that station, whereby a container resting on the support means in one station and having inlet and outlet ports disposed to align with the supply and return ports of that station may be placed on the support means of any other station with similar alignment of corresponding ports.

2. A marine vessel as claimed in claim 1 in which each station comprises guide means to correctly position a container relative to the supply and return ports when it is lowered onto the support means from above.

3. A marine vessel as in claim 1 in which inflatable annular gaskets are employed to define communicating air ducts between the aligned ports of each station and the container located therein.

4. An intermodal refrigerated cargo tnansport system of the type adapted to transport cargo containers by at least two different modes selected from highway, rail or sea transport, comprising carrier means for removably mounting and carrying said containers by the selected mode of transportation, air conditioning means permanently mounted on said selected carrier means, means for receiving said containers on said carrier means; and means for detachably coupling said cargo containers to the air conditioning means on the selected carriers whereby the interior of said containers is placed in communication with the air conditioning means of a respective carrier to condition the air within the container while the container is mounted in said carrier means for transport, said cargo container includes means for directing the air flowing within the same whereby the cargo within the container is enveloped \by the air flowing therethrough.

S. A cargo container of the type in which conditioned air is circulated through the cargo compartment comprising top, bottom, side and end walls defining an insulated cargo space, a conditioned air receiving opening formed in the container at one end of said container, a perforated partition member spaced from said one end of said container to form a space for receiving the conditioned I311 from said opening and releasing conditioned air into the container, means near the top of the container at the opposite end for removing warmed air from the cargo Whereby the conditioned air makes a single pass through the cargo to condition the cargo, and a second opening at said one end for receiving and discharging the warm air from said container.

6. A cargo container of the type in which conditioned air is circulated through the cargo compartment comprising top, bottom, side and end walls defining an insulated cargo space, a conditioned air receiving opening formed in the container at one end of said container for receiving and releasing conditioned air into the container, a floor spaced from the bottom wall to define therewith a floor flue for the circulation of air, means for introducing refrigerated air from said conditioned air receiving opening into said floor flue, a partition wall forming a conditioned air receiving region spaced from said one end of said container and serving to distribute air into the cargo space at said other end, and means near the top of the container at said one end for removing warmed air from the cargo whereby the conditioned air makes a single pass through the cargo to condition the cargo.

7. A cargo container as in claim 6 wherein said floor flue includes means forming longitudinal channels to direct a principal portion of the conditioned air to the other end of the container.

8. A cargo container as in claim 6 wherein means cooperate with said floor flue to direct air upwardly along the side walls.

9. A cargo container of the type in which conditioned air is circulated through the cargo opening comp-rising top, bottom, side and end walls defining an insulated cargo space, :a conditioned air receiving opening formed in the container at one end of said container, a perforated partition member spaced from said one end of said container to form a space for receiving the conditioned air from said opening and releasing conditioned air into the container, a ceiling flue near the top of the container having an intake opening at the other end of the container for removing warmed air from the cargo whereby the conditioned air makes a single pass through the cargo to condition the cargo, and a second opening at said one end for receiving the air from said ceiling flue to discharge the warm air from said container.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 938,181 10/1909 Thomas 62237 2,511,876 6/1950 Protzeller 62239 2,553,471 5/ 1951 Protzeller 62405 2,775,871 l/1957 Prince 62237 2,949,751 8/ 1960 Henrikson 62239 2,968,933 1/1961 Pfeifer 62237 3,225,822 12/1965 Westling 62419 3,228,205 1/ 1966 Franklin 62237 WILLIAM J. WYE, Primary Examiner, 

4. AN INTERMODAL REFRIGERATED CARGO TRANSPORT SYSTEM OF THE TYPE ADAPTED TO TRANSPORT CARGO CONTAINERS BY AT LEAST TWO DIFFERENT MODES SELECTED FROM HIGHWAY, RAIL OR SEA TRANSPORT, COMPRISING CARRIER MEANS FOR REMOVABLY MOUNTING AND CARRYING SAID CONTAINERS BY THE SELECTED MODE OF TRANSPORTATION, AIR CONDITIONING MEANS PERMANENTLY MOUNTED ON SAID SELECTED CARRIER MEANS, MEANS FOR RECEIVING SAID CONTAINERS ON SAID CARRIER MEANS; AND MEANS FOR DETACHABLY COUPLING SAID CARGO CONTAINERS TO THE AIR CONDITIONING MEANS ON THE SELECTED CARRIERS WHEREBY THE INTERIOR OF SAID CONTAINERS IS PLACED IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE AIR CONDITIONING MEANS OF A RESPECTIVE CARRIER TO CONDITION THE AIR WITHIN THE CONTAINER WHILE THE CONTAINER IS MOUNTED IN SAID CARRIER MEANS FOR TRANSPORT, SAID CARGO CONTAINER INCLUDES MEANS FOR DIRECTING THE AIR FLOWING WITHIN THE SAME WHEREBY THE CARGO WITHIN THE CONTAINER IS ENVELOPED BY THE AIR FLOWING THERETHROUGH. 